Sealing device for a container opening

ABSTRACT

A closure device for mounting on an opening of a receptacle containing a fluid, said device comprising: 
         a base ( 1 ) comprising fastener means ( 12 ) for fastening the base onto the opening of the receptacle, said base defining a fluid-dispensing orifice ( 11 ) through which the fluid contained in the receptacle can be dispensed; and    an openable cap ( 2 ) for mounting on the base ( 1 ), said cap including closure means ( 210 ) for closing the dispenser orifice ( 11 ) of the base ( 1 );    the device further comprising first-use indicator means ( 25 ) for making it easy to see whether the cap ( 2 ) has already been withdrawn from the base ( 1 ), the device being characterized in that said indicator means comprise a visual indicator member ( 25 ) that is displaceable between an initial position that guarantees that the cap has not already been opened, and a final position that indicates that the cap has already been opened, said indicator member ( 25 ) reaching its final position when the cap ( 2 ) is put back into place on its base ( 1 ) so as to close the dispenser orifice ( 11 ).

The present invention relates to a closure device for mounting on anopening of a receptacle containing a fluid, a liquid, or a powder. Sucha closure device thus forms dispenser means for dispensing the fluidcontained in the receptacle. By using closure means integrated in thedevice, dispensing can be selectively permitted or prevented. Such aclosure device can be used in numerous fields, such as the fields ofcosmetics, paracosmetics, washing and cleaning agents, foodstuffs,pharmacy, parapharmacy, etc.

In conventional manner, the closure device may comprise a base definingfastener means for fastening the base onto the opening of thereceptacle. The base generally defines a fluid-dispensing orificethrough which the fluid contained in the receptacle can be dispensed. Inaddition, the closure device may also comprise an openable cap formounting on the base, said cap including closure means foradvantageously closing the dispenser orifice of the base in sealedmanner. This is a fairly conventional design for a prior-art closuredevice. The removable cap may be screwed or snap-fastened on the base.The cap may also be hinged so that it remains connected to the base,even in its open position. By way of example, the cap may be pivotallymounted on the base so as to pivot between an open position and a closedposition. The cap may also be completely detached from the base.

In general, the base is fastened onto the opening of the receptacle inpermanent or practically permanent manner, so that it is not easy for auser to remove the base from the opening of the receptacle. However, itis necessary for a user to be able to open the openable cap easilyrelative to the base, without using any means other than the hands.

A problem is therefore to assure a user who has just acquired adispenser equipped with such a closure device, that they are or will bethe first to remove the removable cap from the base. In other words, itis necessary to guarantee to the user that they are the first to use thedispenser equipped with the closure device. This enables the user to bereassured with regard to the nature or the origin of the substancecontained in the dispenser. This also guarantees to the user that thereceptacle is filled to the maximum.

In the prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 6,269,986 is already known, whichdescribes a closure structure comprising a base and a cap that areinterconnected by a hinge bridge. The base defines a dispenser orificethat can be closed by the cap. The cap further comprises a tamper orfirst-use indicator element constituted by two portions which areconnected together at a breakable connection. The portion connected tothe cap constitutes a press portion, whereas the portion connected tothe press portion constitutes an anchor portion. The anchor portionfurther includes a perforation. In addition, the base includes an anchorhead. The indicator element can be folded down on the base when the capis positioned on the base. By folding the indicator element down in thisway, the orifice becomes engaged with the anchor head. The anchorportion is thus pressed against the outer wall of the base, while thepress portion is positioned in a housing. The press portion can bedetached from the anchor portion at the breakable junction by causingthe press portion to pivot in the housing. Thus, the closure structureof that document includes a first-use indicator system that the usermust actuate beforehand by pressing on the press portion. It is notpossible to cause the cap to pivot before the breakable connection hasbeen broken. U.S. Pat. No. 5,875,007 provides a similar teaching.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,651,992 describes another type of first-use safetyclosure that also comprises a base and a cap. The cap is initiallyconnected integrally as a single piece to the base by a hinge. The capforms an anchor pin that can be engaged in a housing formed by the base.By tilting the cap on the base, the pin is engaged and blocked in thehousing. The cap and the base co-operate simultaneously to form a hinge.The cap can then be caused to pivot about the hinge. In order to dothat, it is necessary to break a connection at the base while the cap isbeing opened for the first time. Breaking the connection gives anindication of first-time use. A portion that was initially formed by thebase, is separated from the base, and is then secured to the cap.

An object of the present invention is to define another type offirst-use indicator means which do not require prior manipulation by theuser. Furthermore, the indicator means must be clearly visible.

To solve this problem, the closure device of the invention furthercomprises first-use indicator means for making it easy to see whetherthe cap has already been withdrawn from the base. Advantageously, saidindicator means comprise a visual indicator member that is displaceablebetween an initial position that guarantees that the cap has not alreadybeen opened, and a final position that indicates that the cap hasalready been opened, said displaceable indicator member reaching itsfinal position when the cap is put back into place on its base so as toclose the dispenser orifice. By means of the visual indicator member,the user can immediately see whether or not the closure device hasalready been opened. It is the first actuation of the cap that enablesthe position of the visual indicator member to be modified. Thus, atfirst glance, the user knows whether or not the cap has already beenactuated, merely by seeing the orientation of the visual indicatormember.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, thedisplacement of the indicator member is pivoting displacement.Preferably, the initial position is separated from the final position byan unstable intermediate position. Thus, the visual indicator member isconstrained to be positioned either in its initial position, or in itsfinal position, by passing through the unstable intermediate position.

According to another advantageous characteristic of the invention, theindicator member is urged into its final position by a bearing elementsecured to the base, said indicator member being secured to the cap. Inits initial position, the indicator member advantageously extendsbetween the base and the bearing element, and, in its final position,extends between the bearing element and the cap.

In an embodiment, the bearing element is initially secured to the cap,and is secured to the base after the cap has been initially mounted onthe base. Advantageously, the bearing element is initially secured tothe cap by means of breakable connections that are suitable for beingbroken while the cap is being opened for the first time. The bearingelement is preferably secured to the base by heat-sealing.

In a practical embodiment, the bearing element is formed by a ring thatextends around at least part of the cap, said ring initially beingconnected to the cap by bridges of frangible material, the baseincluding a crown surrounding at least part of the dispenser orifice,said ring being fastened to the crown, advantageously by heat-sealing,said fastening being strong enough to withstand the force required tobreak the connection between the ring and the cap, so that the ringremains fastened to the base when the cap is withdrawn from the base bybreaking the bridges of frangible material. The crown advantageouslyforms a recess for receiving the indicator member in its initialposition. In another aspect, the indicator member is connected to thecap along a curved hinge-line that is advantageously defined at a bottomperipheral edge of the cap. Advantageously, the cap is pivotally mountedon the base.

The indicator member is advantageously made out of a material or in acolor that is different from the rest of the cap.

The ring forming the bearing element which is connected firstly to thecap by the breakable connections, and secondly to the base,advantageously by heat-sealing, already constitutes indicator means inthe sense that the ring forms an indicator element, which, before thecap is opened for the first time, is initially connected both to thebase and to the cap by the breakable indicator connections, whichconnections break while the cap is being opened for the first time, sothat the broken connections indicate that the closure device has alreadybeen opened. As a result, the ring with its breakable connections alsoconstitutes first-use indicator means of visibility that depends on theshape, the configuration, and the size of the breakable connections, andalso on the way in which they are broken. Naturally, when the indicatormeans are in the form of a visual indicator member that is urged by theheat-sealed ring between an initial position and a final position, theclosure device thus integrates two indicator means, namely thedisplaceable indicator member, and the breakable indicator connections.Consequently, the closure device of the invention can include indicatormeans that may be in the form solely of an indicator element that isinitially connected to the cap by breakable indicator connections, orthat may be in the form of a combination of an indicator member and anindicator element giving a two-fold indication with regard to thefirst-use of the closure device. It is also possible to envisage thatthe closure device of the invention includes indicator means solely inthe form of an indicator member that is urged by a bearing element otherthan an indicator element in the form of a ring connected by breakableconnections.

The invention is described more fully below with reference to theaccompanying drawings which show an embodiment of the invention by wayof non-limiting example.

In the figures:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a base of a closure device of theinvention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views at different angles showing a cap ofa closure device of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a closure device of the invention in itsinitial position before use;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the FIG. 4 closure device in its openposition; and

FIG. 6 is another perspective view of the device of FIGS. 4 and 5 in itsclosed position after use.

The closure device of the invention shown in the various figurescomprises two component elements, namely a base 1 and a cap 2. Asdescribed below, the closure device also comprises a ring 3 that can beassociated either with the cap or with the base as a component element.The base 1 and the cap 2 can be made by injection molding a plasticsmaterial.

The base 1 can be made as a single part and is for mounting on anopening of a receptacle (not shown) containing a fluid, a liquid, or apowder. The base 1 includes fastener means for fastening it in stablemanner onto the opening of the receptacle. By way of example, thefastener means can comprise a skirt 12 that is provided on its inside,or on its outside, with engagement means for co-operating with theopening of the receptacle. In conventional manner, the skirt 12 can beprovided with an internal thread or with an internal snap-fastenerprofile for co-operating with an outer wall of the receptacle. Thisapplies to the skirt 12 of the base 1 shown in the figures. The skirt 12is extended at its top end by an inwardly-directed shoulder 16 thatextends over substantially the entire periphery of the skirt 12. Beyondsaid inwardly-directed shoulder 16, the base 1 forms two bastions whichtogether define a sort of crown 14 that extends over part of theperiphery of the skirt. The two bastions are separated by a gap whichforms a recess 15 in the crown 14. A hinge-bearing element 13 isprovided diametrally opposite the recess 15. A central base 10 that ispierced at its center by a dispenser orifice 11 is provided between thetwo bastions forming the crown 14, and between the recess 15 and thehinge-bearing element 13. Once the base 1 is mounted on a receptacleopening, the inside of the receptacle can communicate with the outsideby means of, or through, the dispenser orifice 11. A zone of the nozzle10 surrounding the orifice 11 forms a sealing seat 110 for co-operatingwith a closure pin 210, as described below.

Reference is made below to FIGS. 2 and 3 which show a cap 2 for mountingin removable manner on the base 1, so as to close the dispenser orifice11 in sealed manner. To do this, the cap 2 forms a closure pin 210, ascan be seen in FIG. 5. The cap 2 is generally bucket-shaped, including abottom wall 21 on which the closure pin 210 is formed. Given that thebucket is upsidedown so as to form a sort of cover 20, the bottom wall21 constitutes the top wall of the cap 2. From said top wall 21, thecover 20 forms a side wall 22 that is generally frustoconical in thisembodiment. In the invention, the side wall 22 is pierced with a slot220 which presents a top engagement edge 211 formed by the top wall 21.The size of the slot 220 is such that it is possible to insert a fingertherein, at least in part. A finger can thus take hold of the cover 20of the cap 2. The side wall 22 defines a free bottom end edge 201. Ahinge-pin element 24 is connected to the cover 20 at the free end edge201. Diametrally opposite the hinge-pin element 24, the cap forms atongue 25 which is connected to the edge 201 along a curved hinge line205. The way in which the tongue 25 is displaceable between two stablepositions is described below.

The tongue can be made integrally as a single part with the cover 20 inan appropriate plastics material. In a variant, the tongue can be madeout of a plastics material or in a color that is different from theplastics material or the color of the cover, e.g. by means of adual-injection molding or a co-molding technique.

In use, i.e. after the cap has been opened for the first time, said capis constituted by the cover 20, by its hinge-pin element 24, and by itsdisplaceable tongue 25. However, before the first use, i.e. before thecap has been withdrawn from the base for the first time, the cap 2 alsocomprises a ring 3 that extends around at least part of the cover 20,and more precisely around its bottom end edge 201. The ring 3 extendsover the entire periphery of the cover 20, except at the hinge-pinelement 24. The ring 3 also extends over the displaceable tongue 25. Inits initial position, i.e. before the cap 2 is mounted on the base 1,the tongue 25, which is situated diametrally opposite the hinge-pinelement 24, and advantageously just below the finger slot 220, extendsbelow the ring 3, as can be seen clearly in FIG. 3. The ring 3 presentsa narrowing at the tongue 25 in the form of an inner setback 33. Thisthin portion of the ring 3 forms a bearing element 32 for the tongue 25,as described below. The bearing element 32 is advantageously providedwith an abutment and protective appendage 320 that extends over afraction of the outer periphery of the bearing element 32. Theprotective appendage 320 extends downwards substantially in the samegeneral direction as the tongue 25. In the invention, the ring 3 isconnected to the remainder of the cap 2, and more particularly to thecover 20, at its bottom end edge 201 by means of a plurality offrangible or breakable connections 30. By way of example, six breakableconnections 30 can be provided which are presented in the form ofbridges of material connecting the cover 20 to the ring 3, or moreprecisely the outer periphery of the cover 20 at the bottom edge 201 tothe inner periphery of the ring 3.

The cap 2 with its ring 3 can be made integrally as a single part byinjection-molding a plastics material. Thus, the cover 20 and the ring 3initially form a single part. This single part 2 can be mounted on thebase 1 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The cap 2 is engaged on the base 1 insuch a manner that the closure pin 210 becomes housed in the dispenserorifice 11, thereby providing sealing at the seat 110. Furthermore, thehinge-pin element 24 becomes engaged with the hinge-bearing element 13formed by the base 1. The engagement of the pin element 24 on thebearing element 13 is such that the cap 2 can then be displaced relativeto the base 1 by pivoting about the axis formed by the association ofthe elements 13 and 24. In addition, the ring 3, initially madeintegrally with the cap 2, comes into contact with the crown 14 of thebase 1. In the configuration shown in FIG. 4, the tongue 25 ispositioned below the bearing element 32 formed by the ring 3, but alsoin the recess 15 formed in the crown 14. Mounting the cap 2 on the base1 in order to achieve the FIG. 4 configuration is performed very simply,without it being necessary to position the tongue 25 carefully so as toensure that it is received in the recess 15 under the bearing element32. The position of the tongue 25 has not changed since its manufacture.

In the invention, the ring 3 is fastened onto the base 1 once the cap 2is mounted on the base 1. Fastening can be performed by any technicalmeans, but the ring 3 is preferably heat-sealed onto the base 1 at thecrown 14. Heat-sealing can be performed using any known technique, suchas ultrasonic welding, for example. Thus, the cap 2 is held in positionon the base 1 by means of the ring 3 being fastened onto the base 1, andbeing connected to the cover 20 by means of breakable connections 30. Bytaking hold of the cover 20 via its finger slot 220, and by holding ontothe base 1 or the receptacle on which it is fastened, sufficienttraction force can be exerted on the cover 20 to cause the breakableconnections 30 which connect the cover to the ring 3, to give way or tobreak. Naturally, in order to cause the connections 30 to break, it isnecessary for the fastening which connects the ring to the base 1 to bestrong enough to withstand the rupture force required to break theconnections 30. The cover 20 can thus be detached from the ring 30 sothat the cap then merely consists of the cover 20, provided with itshinge-pin element 24 and its displaceable tongue 25. Thus, the ring 3and more particularly its frangible connections 30 constitute first-useindicator means in the form of a visual indicator member where it caneasily and quickly be seen whether or not the cap has already beenwithdrawn from the base. The breakable connections 30 do not have thesame configuration or appearance before and after they have been broken,so that the user can easily see if the connections are still intact orif they have been broken. This gives the user clear information as towhether or not the closure device has already been used.

The spirit of this characteristic, which is protectable per se, residesin the fact that the ring 3 which forms the first-use indicator means ismade integrally with the cap 2, and is then positioned on the base 1 andis advantageously fastened thereto by heat-sealing. Then, by removingthe cap 2 from the base 1, the ring 3 is left fastened to the base 1.The cap 2 does not even need to be provided with a tongue 25.

However, the displaceable tongue 25 also serves as visual indicatormeans in co-operation with the bearing element 32 formed by the ring 3.In its initial position, the tongue 25 extends under the bearing element32 inside the recess 15, as can be seen very clearly in FIG. 4. Whilethe cap 2 is being withdrawn from the base 1 by breaking the connections30, the tongue 25 connected to the cover 20 via the hinge line 205 isthen extracted from the recess 15 and from under the bearing element 32.This results in the open configuration in FIG. 5. The cover 20 is thenpivoted into its fully open state, so that the dispenser orifice 11 iscompletely clear. It is then possible to dispense the fluid contained inthe receptacle. Once dispensing has ended, the user can once again causethe cover 20 to pivot, so as to return it to its initial position inwhich it seals the closed dispenser orifice 11. However, the tongue 25,which until now has not yet changed its orientation since manufacture,is thus constrained to modify its orientation by pivoting about thehinge line 205. While the cover 20 was being opened, and in order toescape from the recess 15, the tongue 25 came into contact with thebearing element 32, and was subjected to a small amount of deformationin bending. As soon as the tongue 25 was no longer in contact with thebearing element 32, it relaxed once again so as to return to its initialrest position, which is indicative of the cover 20 not having alreadybeen opened. While the cover 20 is being put back in place on the base1, the tongue 25, which is still in its initial position, once againcomes into contact with the bearing element 32, but this time fromabove, whereas while the tongue was being withdrawn, said tongue cameinto contact with the bearing element 24 from below. As a result, thetongue 25 is now constrained to pivot about its hinge line 205 so as toreach a final, second position in which the tongue 25 is then positionedover the bearing element 32 and no longer under it, as was the case inthe initial position in FIG. 4. The tongue 25 thus extends in adirection forming an angle of about 90° relative to its initialposition. It thus points upwards a little, whereas in its initialposition, it clearly points downwards.

Thus, the displaceable tongue 25 fulfils a first-use visual indicatorfunction, given that the user can immediately see if the tongue 25 ispositioned over or under the ring 3. A position over the ring 3 clearlyinforms the user that the closure device has already been used.

In order to prevent the tongue 25 from pivoting freely when the closuredevice is open, as shown in FIG. 5, the initial position and the finalposition are stable positions separated by an unstable intermediateposition. This is possible as a result of the hinge line 215 not beingrectilinear, but, on the contrary, being curved, thereby impartingunstable equilibrium to said intermediate position between the initialand final stable positions. This thus ensures that the tongue 25 cannotleave its initial position too easily, and that its change inorientation in order to reach the final position can, in practice, onlybe driven by the bearing element 32.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, the cap is connected to the baseby means of a hinge system 13, 24. The cap and the base are madeseparately, in principle by molding, then the cap is mounted on thebase. In a variant, the cap and the base can be made as a single part,by being interconnected by a bridge of material that then serves as ahinge.

By means of the invention, a closure device is obtained that implementsone or two types of first-use visual indicator means, while limiting thenumber of component parts to two.

1. A closure device for mounting on an opening of a receptaclecontaining a fluid, said device comprising: a base (1) comprisingfastener means (12) for fastening the base onto the opening of thereceptacle, said base defining a fluid-dispensing orifice (11) throughwhich the fluid contained in the receptacle can be dispensed; and anopenable cap (2) for mounting on the base (1), said cap includingclosure means (210) for closing the dispenser orifice (11) of the base(1); the device further comprising first-use indicator means (25) formaking it easy to see whether the cap (2) has already been withdrawnfrom the base (1), the device being characterized in that said indicatormeans comprise a visual indicator member (25) that is displaceablebetween an initial position that guarantees that the cap has not alreadybeen opened, and a final position that indicates that the cap hasalready been opened, said indicator member (25) reaching its finalposition when the cap (2) is put back into place on its base (1) so asto close the dispenser orifice (11).
 2. A device according to claim 1,in which the indicator means further comprise an indicator element (3),which, before the cap (2) is opened for the first time, is initiallyconnected to the cap by breakable indicator connections (30), and isadvantageously fastened by heat-sealing to the base (1), the breakableconnections (30) being suitable for being broken while the cap is beingopened for the first time, so that the broken connections indicate thatthe closure device has already been opened.
 3. A device according toclaim 1, in which the displacement of the indicator member (25) ispivoting displacement.
 4. A device according to claim 1, in which theinitial position is separated from the final position by an unstableintermediate position.
 5. A device according to claim 1, in which theindicator member (25) is urged into its final position by a bearingelement (32) secured to the base (1), said indicator member (25) beingsecured to the cap (2).
 6. A device according to claim 5, in which, inits initial position, the indicator member (25) extends between the base(1) and the bearing element (32), and, in its final position, extendsbetween the bearing element (32) and the cap (2).
 7. A device accordingto claim 5, in which the bearing element (32) is initially secured tothe cap (2), and is secured to the base (1) after the cap (2) has beeninitially mounted on the base (1).
 8. A device according to claim 7, inwhich the bearing element (32) is initially secured to the cap (2) bymeans of breakable connections (30) that are suitable for being brokenwhile the cap is being opened for the first time.
 9. A device accordingto claim 5, in which the bearing element (32) is secured to the base (1)by heat-sealing.
 10. A device according to claim 5, in which the bearingelement is formed by a ring (3) that extends around at least part of thecap (2), said ring (3) initially being connected to the cap by bridges(23) of frangible material, the base including a crown (14) surroundingat least part of the dispenser orifice (11), said ring (3) beingfastened to the crown (14), advantageously by heat-sealing, saidfastening being strong enough to withstand the force required to breakthe connection between the ring and the cap, so that the ring remainsfastened to the base when the cap is withdrawn from the base by breakingthe bridges of frangible material.
 11. A device according to claim 10,in which the crown (14) forms a recess (15) for receiving the indicatormember (25) in its initial position.
 12. A device according to claim 1,in which the indicator member (25) is connected to the cap (2) along acurved hinge-line (205) that is advantageously defined at a bottomperipheral edge (201) of the cap (2).
 13. A device according to claim 1,in which the cap (2) is pivotally mounted on the base (1).
 14. A deviceaccording to claim 1, in which the indicator member (25) is made out ofa material or in a color that is different from the rest of the cap. 15.A device according to claim 1, in which the cap and the base are unitedas a single piece, advantageously via a hinge (24).